This month has been a busy one with the release of my new book, The Kingdom of Amarugia, (now available for pre-order at www.jonathanjonesauthor.com) Instead of a regular post, I’m going to do a movie review.  Over the fourth of July weekend, I went to see Kevin Costner’s Horizon, An American Epic.  It was awesome.

I am a western lover.  I am the guy who will sit down on a rainy day and watch old John Wayne movies all afternoon.  Any time a new western comes out, I will be there to see it as soon as it hits the theaters.  So, this “love of westerns” may skew my feelings a bit, but I really enjoyed the movie.

The reviews for this movie have been mixed and I don’t think it has done great at the box office, but don’t let that scare you off.  Its also three hours long, don’t let that scare you off either.  I can honestly say that I never checked my watch once, I was entertained for the entire three hours and could have stayed for a couple more.  I have read some of the negative reviews and I totally disagree with most of them.  Is it perfect?  No.  Is it really good?  Yes.

Another factor that might be keeping people away is the fact that this film is part 1 of 4.  The next installment comes out in less than a month.  That is an odd thing to do in today’s entertainment world, but I have no issue with Costner changing things up a bit.  I believe that parts 3 and 4 are set to come out next summer.

For old people like me, the movie kind of reminds me of How the West was Won.  That Oscar winning film, released in 1962, was a sweeping epic that covered a vast time frame and featured a host of stars such as John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Karl Malden, Jimmie Steward, Debbie Reynolds, and Gregory Peck among others. 

Horizon is a bit different in that it is three- or four-story lines that are all happening in roughly the same time period, my guess is that over the next three installments, the story lines will merge and come together at some point.  It does feel “epic” as the name implies.  Costner is the one of the main characters, along with Luke Owen, Sienna Miller, and Sam Worthington.

I’m not going to give away major plot details but, in this installment the major events take place in Wyoming, western Kansas and in the southwest, likely Utah, Arizona or western Colorado.  Don’t expect non-stop action as that is not really what this film provides.  There is action, in the form of Indians raiding and being raided.  There are also multiple instances of gunfights, but those “action sequences” are not the core of the movie.  Costner does a good job of telling the story without needless “action for the sake of action” scenes.

Overall, this was a great movie, and I can’t wait for the next installment!

By the way, did I mention that my latest book, The Kingdom of Amarugia, is now available for pre-order.  Order today and receive your signed copy.  I expect the first shipment to arrive in the next week and signed copies will be sent to those who pre-ordered immediately.  Order now at www.jonathanjonesauthor.com.  The book is currently available in Kindle format on Amazon.com.